Inclinable four-side metal forming machine



Sept. l, 1964 a. F. LEWIS 3,146,516

INCLINABLE FOUR-SIDE METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed July s, 1960 1e sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTOZNEYS Sept 1 1964 B. F. LEWIS 3,146,516

INCLINABLE FOUR-SIDE METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed July 8, 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTO o m Q l\ QL-.FFM N c m y=` u: JHM m wv www N tE INVENTOR Sept. 1, 1964 B. F.| Ew1s INCLINABLE FOUR-SIDE METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed July e, 19Go 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 yINVENTOR m d/w,"

BY nzg. ATTORNE Sept. 1, 1964 B. F, I Ewls 3,146,516

INCLINABLE FOUR-SIDE METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed July 8, 196C 16 Sheets-Sheet 4 u# n u; INVENTOR N oi O M -ww W TTORNEYS Spt. 19 i964 E. F. LEWIS 39146516 INCLINABLE FOUR-'SIDE METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed July a. 1960 la sheets-sheet 5 lNVENTOR ATTORNEY Sept. 1964 B. F. LEWIS INCLINABLE FOUR-SIDE METAL FORMING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed July 8. 1960 INVENTOR ATTORNE .5

Sept W6@ e. F. I Ewns INCLINABLE FOUR-SIDE METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed July a. 1960 16 Sheets--Sheerl '7 lNvENToR 73M@ a i f ATTORNE .-s,

Sept. 1, 1964 B. F. I Ewls INCLINABLE FOUR-SIDE METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed July e. 19e@ 16 Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTO l ZZ,

ATTORNEY Sept. 1, 1964 B. F. L Ewls INCLINABLE FOUR-SIDE: METAL FORMING MACHINE 16 Sheets-Sheet 9 Filed July 8. 1960 INVENTOR Kw4/W ATI-ORNE 5,

Sept. 1, 1964 B. F. LEWIS INcLNABLE FOUR-SIDE METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed July 8. 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 10 l ATTORNEYS Sept. 1, 1964 B. F. I Ewls INCLINABLE FOUR-SIDE METAL FoRMrNG MACHINE Filed July 8. 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 1l Sept. 1, 1964 B. F. LEWIS INCLINABLE FOUR-SIDE METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed July a. 1960 16 Sheets- Sheet 12 NVENTOR BY l Mmw,

Sept. l, 1964 B. F. LEWIS INCLINABLE FOUR-SIDE METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed July 8, 19Go 16 Sheets-Sheet 13 Lvwlll Wiz INVENTOR ,ihm ATTORNEY 16 Sheets-Shea?I 14 Sept. 1, 1964 B. F. I Ewls NcLINABLE WUR-SIDE METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed July 8. 1960 @m .www E w@ E @E DE Pw, O mu vs f n mn /H/AL w r SW Sh, L, 11,

Sept. l, 1964 a. F.1 r-:w1s

INCLINABLE FOUR-SIDE METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed July 8. 1960 16 sheets-sheet 15 INVENToR M ATToRNEYf WON Sept. 1, 1964 B. F. I Ewes INCLINABLE FOUR-SIDE METAL FORMING MACHINE Filed July e. 1960 16 Sheets-Sheet 16 INVENTOR AT1-ORN 5,

United States Patent O M' 3,146,516 INCLINABILE HOUR-SIDE METAL FORMING MACHNE Burton F. Lewis, Trumbull, Conn., assigner to The U. S. Baird Corporation, a corporation of Connecticut Filed .Iuly 8, 19661, Ser. No. 41,618 14 Claims. tCi. 29-34) This invention relates to a metal forming machine, specifically of the type known as a four slide machine in which there is a bed or frame provided with means forming a work station and multiple slides carrying tools for performing various operations on work at said station, such, for example, as wire or ribbon metal.

It is an object to provide a machine of this type which provides more versatile equipment for this type of work than machines hitherto generally available.

Machines of this type have generally been of the form operable in a horizontal position, although vertical machines have also been developed, but it has been found that strictly horizontal or vertical machines are limited to a smaller range of jobs as compared to a machine that can be operated in both planes. Also the forming area of most of these machines is somewhat limited and congested for certain types of work. It is therefore also an object to provide a machine which has the advantages of a machine which can be operated in both horizontal and vertical positions as well as any position between the horizontal and vertical positions, as may best suit the particular article to be produced.

A further object is to provide a machine having a greater, less limited and less congested forming area.

Another object is to provide a machine having a bed or frame providing more space for mounting of press units between the feeding mechanism for the wire or ribbon stock and the forming position, thus expanding the ability to do a larger amount of press work. For this purpose the press units are designed so they may be assembled and applied as such to the machine and may be operated from either the normal front or back shaft as determined by the machine where operated in the horizontal position, and the ability to operate these presses from either of these two positions offers further advantage when the machine is shifted to the vertical position, in that the press can be so located that the scrap will fall by gravity and present less problems in ejecting.

It is a particular object to provide a new and improved type of form bracket which not only is of itself a great improvement over the old form of fixed bracket, but may be mounted in different positions on the bed or frame of the machine with respect to the forming area, specifically at either the back or one side thereof, thus greatly increasing the possible variations in mounting and locating the tool elements, and also making it possible to operate the press units close up to the forming area.

It is a further important object to provide an improved construction of form bracket which includes a wide flat vertical mounting surface on the front side of the bracket on which a great variety of holder blocks may be mounted in various positions to best suit the particular type of tooling situation to be used.

It is also an object to produce a construction of form bracket which provides a more open area for the front, rear and side slides.

Still another object is to provide a construction whereby a form at the work station may be mounted and supported from the under side of the bed by a bracket devised for this purpose, and may also provide for a motion to be used for either stripping or doing a certain 3,146,516 Patented Sept. l, 1964 amount of forming work which may be operated from the under side of the bed.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention is not limited to the specific details of construction and. arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention.

In these drawings:

FIG, l is an end view of the machine showing it for operation in the horizontal position;

FIG. 2 is a front view thereof With parts broken away to more clearly show the construction;

FIG. 3 is an end view showing the bed or frame in the vertical position, and also indicating in broken lines an intermediate inclined position;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a portion of the supporting base and parts of the elements for mounting the bed or frame on this base;

FIG. 5 is a partial side elevation and a partial section of the mechanism of FIG. 4, the section being substantially on the plane of line 5 5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a partial end view of the device of FIGS. 4 and 5 looking from the right of these figures;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of one of the elements for mounting the bed or frame on the base;

FIG. 8 is a side view thereof;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of another element for mounting the bed or frame;

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the machine when in a horizontal position, showing the improved form bracket mounted in the so-called back mounting position, and showing a single press unit associated with this bracket and mounted for operation from the front shaft;

FIG. 1l is also a plan view of a portion of the machine with the feeding and other elements shown in dotted lines, but showing the improved form bracket in its so-called side mounted position, and showing how this Will permit the use of a pair of press units operating between the feed mechanism and the work station;

FIG. 12 is a similar plan view of a portion of the machine at the work station using a similar side mounting for the form bracket, and showing how the two press units associated therewith may be operated one from the front shaft and one from the back shaft;

FIG. 13 is a plan view showing how the plurality of horizontal slides, specifically four in number, may be arranged at the work station to carry tools for operation on a work piece at this station, and their relation to the form bracket; it also indicates how the form bracket, portions of which are broken away, may be mounted in the back mounted or side mounted positions;

FIG. 14 is a vertical section of a portion thereof taken substantially on line 14-14 of FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 is a top plan view of a portion of the work station showing two of the slides associated therewith but with two of them omitted, and showing how other work-forming elements may be mounted from the under side of the bed or frame and also operated from this under side of the bed or frame;

FIG. 16 is a section thereof substantially on line 16-16 of FIG. 15;

FIG. 17 is a plan view of a portion of the bed or frame showing the improved form bracket in the side-mounted position, and with the auxiliary form bracket mounted thereon;

FIG, 18 is a partial side view and partial section looking from the right of FIG. 17 with parts of the main form bracket broken away;

FIG. 19 is a front elevational view of the main form bracket showing how various tool elements may be mounted thereon;

FIG. is a side elevation looking toward one end of this form bracket, or that is, from the right of FIG. 19, and showing a portion of the bed or frame in section;

FIG. 21 is a top plan view of the elements shown in FIGS. 19 and 20;

FIG. 22 is a plan view of a portion of the elements shown in FIGS. 19 to 21, but showing how certain of them may be mounted in a diferent position;

FIG. 23 is a front detail of the improved form of bracket;

FIG. 24 is an end View thereof looking from the right of FIG. 23;

lFIG. 25 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 26 is a side elevation of the auxiliary form bracket;

FIG. 27 is a front elevation thereof looking from the left of FIG. 26;

FIG. 28 is a bottom plan View looking toward the bottom of FIG. 26;

FIG. 29 is a partial end elevation of the main form bracket and showing the auxiliary bracket mounted thereon;

FIG. 30 is a plan view of the press attachment assembled as a unit;

FIG. 31 is an end view thereof looking from the left of FIG. 30;

FIG. 32 is a transverse vertical section substantially on line 32--32 of FIG. 30;

FIG. 33 is a partial side elevation and partial longitudinal section of the press attachment or unit;

FIG. 34 is an end elevation of the feed mechanism;

FIG. 35 is a side elevation thereof;

FIG. 36 is an end elevation looking from the left of FIG. 35;

FIG. 37 is a top plan View of the work clamp;

FIG. 38 is a side elevation thereof with a portion of the frame broken away;

FIG. 39 is a plan view of the cut-off mechanism;

FIG. 40 is a side elevation thereof with a portion of the bed or frame shown in section; and

FIG. 41 is a side view of a portion of the cut-off mechanism arranged for cutting fiat ribbon stock and with a portion of the frame shown in section.

Mounting for the Bea' or Frame Referring to the drawings, the machine is shown as comprising a bed or frame 1 mounted on a supporting base 2. This supporting base comprises a substantially ilat rectangular plate 3 forming a foot member, and a pair of laterally spaced upright supporting legs 4 and 5 secured to the top of the member 3 by any suitable means, such, for example, as welding their lower ends thereto. The legs are of oblong, hollow construction with flat side walls 6 and curved front and rear edge walls 7 connecting the side walls.

The bed 1 of the machine is in the form of a substantially Hat rectangular frame on which is mounted the various devices or elements for performing the various operations ou the Work, such, for example, as wire or at ribbon stock which also may be called a flat wire in a broad sense. The bed or frame is mounted on the upright legs 4 and 5 of the base 2 so that the machine may be operated either in the horizontal position, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a vertical position as shown in full lines in FIG. 3, or in any intermediate inclined position, one of which is shown in broken lines in FIG. 3. For this purpose the bed is mounted on a supporting bar 8 supported at its opposite ends in the legs 4 and 5 of the base 2, and the bed is supported on this bar by means of mounting plates 9 and 10. Welded to one end of the plate 9 is a lug 11 embracing the bar 8, and the bed or frame 1 is bolted to the top of this plate through the openings 12, a similar lug 13 being welded to the other end and pivotally connected to a lug 14 welded to one side of the leg 4. The other end of the bed is bolted through the openings 15 to the plate It), to the under side of which is welded a lug 16 embracing the bar 8, and at its other end is welded a similar lug or ear 17 pivotally connected at 18 to the lug or ear 14 Welded to the side of the leg 5, the pivot 18 being in a line with the pivot for the plate 9.

The supporting bar S is supported at its opposite ends for pivotal or turning movement by an adjusting screw 19 and a supporting rod 20. The bar 8 has a reduced pivotal bearing 21 in the upper end of the screw 19 and a similar bearing 22 at the upper end of the rod 20. The screw 19 is supported in the leg 5 of the base by means of an adjusting or tilting nut 23 threaded on the screw and supported in a supporting block 24 comprising a top trunnion plate 25 and a lower or bottom trunnion plate 26, the nut 23 being provided with an external iiange 27 located between these two plates which are connected by screws 2S. The trunnion plates 25 and 26 therefore provide bearings for the nut 23 and its flange 27, permitting rotation of the nut to adjust the screw 19 up or down. The lower or bottom trunnion plate 26 is mounted for pivotal movement with end bearings on two trunnions 29, secured in trunnion supports 30 mounted in openings in the opposite side walls of the supporting leg 5, and secured by welding them to these walls, the trunnions being removably mounted in their supports 39 by means of screws 31 passing through flanges 32 on the trunnions. It will be understood, that by operating the nut 23, the screw 19 will be raised or lowered to tilt the bed or frame 1 between the horizontal and vertical positions, or any intermediate inclined position between these two positions. The nut 23 may be operated by any suitable means, such, for example, as any suitable type of wrench 33, operating on an hexagonal head 34 of the nut, or it could be a ratchet type of wrench.

The opposite end of the bar 8 is supported by reduced pivotal bearing 22 on the upper end of the supporting rod 20. This rod passes through a pinchbind block 35 having an upward extension 36 which is split as shown at 37, the sides of which are connected by a binding screw 38. The lower end of the block 3S is pivotally mounted on the free inner ends of trunnions 39 supported in trunnion supports 4@ mounted in openings in the side walls 6 of the leg 4 and welded thereto, the trunnions including flanges 41 by which they are removably secured to the supports 40 by screws 42. In adjusting the angular position of the bed or frame 1, the pinch or binding section 36 is released or loosened by loosening the screw 38, then the bed is adjusted to the desired position by operating the nut 23 to adjust the screw 19. Then the screw 38 is tightened, clamping the split portion 36 about the rod 20 to provide additional support for the opposite end of the bed or frame 1.

It has been found that strictly horizontal or strictly vertical machines are limited to a smaller range of jobs or operations, as compared to a machine such as this one which can operate in both planes. The forming area of most of the prior machines is somewhat limited and congested for certain types of work. This machine has the advantages of a machine which can operate in both horizontal and vertical positions as Weil as any inclined position between the horizontal and vertical positions, as may best suit the forming of the particular article to be produced. This also permits tooling up in the horizontal position and then tipping the machine to the vertical position for running.

Slides at the Work Station These operations are performed at a forming area, which may also be termed a work station, at which are tools or means for supporting the work, and tools or means for performing the various operations on the work, with means for feeding the wire or stock to this area or station for the forming operations. In the present construction, at this area or station the bed or frame 1 is provided with an opening 43 around which are mounted tool slides 44, 45, 46 and 47. The opening 43 is of substantially rectangular form and the slides 44 to 47 are arranged to move toward and from this opening, one on each of the opposite sides thereof, and for purposes of identification slide 44 will be called the front slide, 45 the rear o1 back slide, 46 the right hand slide and 47 the left hand slide. Each slide is provided with means for mounting a tool for performing a forming or other operation on a work piece at the work station, these elements being omitted from the drawing as they would be different for different operations, but each slide is shown as provided with a surface 48 on which the means for mounting the tools may be secured. The surface 43 on the left hand slide 47 is on a removable support 48 secured to the slide by screws 48". This permits removal of this member to provide room for mounting a press unit when moved up to the forming area. Each slide is mounted in a suitable guide for sliding movedent toward and from any support or other means for cooperation with the tools thereon in holding the work for these operations at the work station.

As shown in the drawings, each slide has tapered or inclined sides 49 operating in similarly tapered or dovetail type guideways Sii mounted on the bed or frame 1. Suitable means is provided for reciprocating these slides, such as the grooved cams 51, 52, 53 and 54 connected respectively with these slides, these cams being each mounted on one of the four operating shafts S, 56, 57 and 5S mounted in suitable bearings on the frame or bed 1. In the arrangement shown each slide is operated by means of a roller 59 (FlGS. 13 and 14) operating in a suitably shaped groove 60 in their respective cams, the shapes of the cams, of course, being such as to impart the desired motions of each slide and the timing of these motions, required for the operation to be performed by the tool carried by each slide on the work at the work area or station. For purposes of identification, shaft 55 will be termed the front shaft when the machine is in the horizontal position and the top shaft when the machine is in the vertical position. Shaft 56 will be called the back shaft when the machine is in the horizontal position, and the lower shaft when the machine is in the vertical position, while shaft 57 will be called the right hand side shaft, and shaft 58 will be called the left hand side shaft.

Drive for the Shafts These shafts are connected so that they are driven in unison and from a single driving unit, that is, shaft 57 is indicated as driven from the shaft 56 by bevel gears 61, shaft 55 is driven from shaft 57 by bevel gears 62, and shaft 58 is driven from shaft 56 by bevel gears 63. Shaft 55 is mounted in suitable bearings 64 in the frame or bed, shaft 56 is mounted in suitable bearings 65, shaft 57 is mounted in bearings 66, and shaft 58 is mounted in bearings 67, one of which is not shown as it is under the feed mechanism. One shaft, in this case the shaft 56, is driven from a suitable electric motor 68 through a suitable reducing drive 69 and a belt drive 70 to a pulley 71 connected with the shaft 56 through a suitable clutch 72, which may be controlled by any suitable means, such as a hand lever 73, for either connecting the drive to or disconnecting it from the shaft S6.

The motor 68 and the drive 69 are mounted on a motor plate 74 pivotally mounted on a pivot bar 75 supported at its opposite ends in supports 76 and 77 welded to the base 2. The free end of this plate is connected at 78 to a slidable bar '79 at one side of the plate 5 and connected at its lower end to a spring 80 connected at its lower end f5 to the leg S. This provides a steadying means for the end of the plate and the spring tends to hold the plate in its lower position. This mounting for the motor and the drive permits them to move with the bed or frame 1 as it is shifted between its various positions to maintain the proper driving connection to the shaft 56.

Mounted on one of the shafts, preferably on the right hand end of the front or top shaft 55, is a hand wheel 81 by which the various shafts, and the operative elements connected thereto, may be operated in tooling up and adjusting the machine.

Form Bracket An important improvement in this machine is the provision of a new and improved form of form bracket S2 employed at the work area or station for mounting certain tool elements, particularly vertically movable elements, such, for example, as form slides, strippers or any tool element which is to be supported in an upright position, or any position over or above the bed or the slides mounted thereon at the working area or station, as well as supporting the means for operating any of these tool elements, such, for example, as levers for operating or shifting them in performing their functions in the forming operation. This improved form bracket is shown in detail in FIGS. 23 to 25, and the advantages of this bracket and the different ways in which it may be mounted and used are shown in FIGS. l0 to 14 and 17 to 22. It comprises a pair of upright laterally spaced legs 83 each provided with a foot S4 by which the bracket may be mounted on and secured to the bed or frame 1. For this purpose each foot is provided with a tongue 85 on its under side adapted to seat in channels or grooves 86 (FlGS. 10 and 18) in the surface of the bed, and by means of bolts 87 in elongated openings 88 in these feet, whereby the bracket may have limited forward and backward adjustment on the bed by means of adjusting screws 87.

The legs 83 are connected by an upright longitudinally extending supporting bar 90, located at the front of these legs and provided on its front side with an upright longitudinally extending flat mounting surface 91, extending the full width of the bracket, and this bar and surface are located a material distance above the lower ends of the legs and the feet 84 to provide a material clearance space, indicated at 92 (FIG. 23) between. the legs and below the bar 90 for operation of tool elements, or the slides supporting elements at the work station. This upright mounting surface 91 and the bar 90 provide means for mounting a tool or tool support both at different heights with respect to the bed 1, and different longitudinal positions on this bar 90, and therefore on the form bracket 82. It provides means by which a great Variety of form holder blocks may be mounted to best suit the particular type of tooling situation.

To facilitate properly mounting and supporting various elements on the surface 91 it may be provided with a longitudinal channel or groove 93 to receive the cooperating tongues of the same width on a bearing or other support mounted on the bracket, or a key in an aligned channel in the mounted member, an example of which is shown in FIGS. 19 and 2t), in which one bearing block 94 is shown mounted on this surface, using a key 95 seated in the groove 93 and a center groove on the block 94, instead of a tongue on this block. The block 94 is secured to the form bracket by screws 96 passing through properly located holes 97 in the bar 90, and there may be any desired number of these holes, so located as to be capable of supporting the bearing block 94 at different longitudinal positions on the surface 91 of the bar 90. By locating the grooves for the key 95, and the tapped openings for the screws 96, above or below the center line of the block 94, it may be supported on the surface 91 at different vertical elevations or different vertical positions by inverting it, as indicated by the full lines 98 and broken lines 99 (FIG. 20) at the upper and lower ends of the block 94. These bearing blocks are shown in FIGS. 19 and 22 as forming bearing supports and guideways for vertically movable forming slides 100 and 101. Slide 100 is mounted in a guide channel in the front of the bearing block 94, and retained therein by a front or cap plate 102 secured on the front of the block by suitable screws 103, and the slide 101 is mounted in a similar channel in the rear side of the block and held therein by the surface 91.

The upright legs 83 of the form bracket are provided with upright extensions 104 provided with means for operating suitable operating levers for operating the slides 100 and 101. The bracket is also strengthened by means of a longitudinal web 105 extending between, connecting and integral with the upright extensions 104. The means for mounting the levers comprises a pair of bearing openings 106 and 107 in the extensions 104, and with the opening 106 spaced forwardly of the opening 107. These openings are adapted for mounting transverse pivot pins, one of which is shown at 108, in the openings 107 and forming a pivot bearing for the levers 109 and 110 connected to the respective slides 100 and 101. The levers are mounted on this pin by bearings 111 and 112, and each lever is provided with an additional bearing 113 and 114 spaced forwardly of the bearings 111 and 112. The bearings 113 and 114 may be mounted on a pin similar to the pivot pin 108 in the forward openings of the bracket, thus providing different leverages for the levers 109 and 110, and different lengths of movement for the elements operated by these levers. In the arrangement shown, each lever is operated by a roller 115 running in a cam groove 116 in a cam 117 or 118 mounted on the back shaft 56.

The lever 109 is shown connected by a bolt 119 at its forward end directly to a block 120 mounted for vertical adjustment on the slide 100 by means of screws 121 in elongated slots 122, but there is shown in connection with the lever 110, an end member 123 detachably mounted on the forward end of the lever 110, and connected to the block 124 mounted for vertical adjustment on the slide 101. The same end member may be used on the lever 109 if desired. It will be seen this lever end 123 is offset at 125, so that the portion 126 secured to the lever and the free end portion 127 secured to the block are not in alignment, but are laterally offset with respect to each other. The end member is secured to the lever 110 by the bolts 128, and may be mounted on either side of this lever. Thus if it is mounted on the opposite side from the position of FIG. 21, as shown in FIG. 22, it may be connected to a form slide 101 located at a different longitudinal position on the bar 90 or surface 91 of the form bracket, or if the end member 123 is reversed, still a different position may be secured for connection of the offset 127 to a form element mounted on the bracket.

An important and distinct advantage of the novel and improved form bracket 82 is' that it may be mounted in different positions on the bed or frame 1, and in different positions with relation to the forming area or work station. For this purpose the bed or frame is provided with two pairs of lands, or supporting surfaces, for the feet of the bracket. One pair is shown at the rear of the work station, of which the opening 43 is a part, this pair being indicated at 129 and 130, and the other pair arranged at right angles thereto comprising the surfaces 130 and 131. Therefore, the surface 130 is common to both pairs. For mounting the form bracket 82 to the rear of the opening 43, the feet 84 are mounted on the two lands 129 and 130, as shown in FIG. 10, and as indicated in dotted lines in FIG. 13, and secured by the bolts 87 to the bed 1. As previously indicated, the bolts 87 pass through elongated openings 88 in the feet, and the bracket is capable of limited adjustment forwardly and backwardly by means of the adjusting screws 89, and then is clamped in the adjusted position by tightening up lthe bolts 87. When so mounted the bracket is considered as back mounted, as it is to the rear of the opening 43, and the levers 109 and mounted thereon are operated from cams 117 and 118 on the back shaft 56. The form bracket 82 can be mounted in a position at right angles to this position by locating the feet on the two lands and 131, as indicated by the full lines in FIG. 13 and as shown in FIG. 1l. The bracket in this position is termed as being side mounted, and is secured to the bed or frame 1 by the same bolts 87 with adjusting screws 89. In this position the levers 109 and 110 are operated by the cams 117 and 118 on the right hand side shaft 57.

By being able to mount this form bracket in either one of these two positions, the versatility of the machine is greatly increased, as it permits a large number of variations in the mounting and arrangement of the forming tools and associated elements at the work station. Thus, for example, with the back mounting for this bracket the tools, such as the form slides 100 and 101, mounted on the front of the bracket, may be adjusted to different longitudinal positions relative to the frame 1, or parallel to the front and back shaft 55 and 56, while in the side mounting position these elements could be adjusted and located in different positions transversely of the bed or frame 1, and parallel to the side shafts 57 and 58, and tools mounted on this bracket may be operated either from the rear shaft 56 or the side shaft 57.

When this form bracket 82 is mounted on the right side position it provides a very open area for the front, rear and left hand forming slides 44, 45 and 47. This form bracket is also so arranged that at least two vertical motions can be provided when the bracket is mounted at either of the two positions. Also more than one form holder can be mounted on the face 91 of this new type of bracket, when such would prove to advantage for certain types of formations, particularly in the case of formations where a relatively wide width of formation may be produced. In such cases two form holders, each one to support a form for use in a forming of work at either extremity of the wire or work piece might be desired, or in other instances possibly as many as three form holders or more might prove to advantage. By such arrangement the simplest type of forms required for the particular formation can be supplied, rather than requiring complicated types of forms as might be necessary if the old fixed type of form bracket was being used to support the form.

Auxiliary Form Bracket This construction of form bracket 82, with the transverse bar 90 and the vertical transverse mounting surface 91 at the front of the bracket, also permits the use of an auxiliary from bracket 132, shown in detail in FIGS. 26 to 28. This comprises a base 133 which may be mounted on the surface 91, as indicated in FIG. 29, and secured in any desired ,longitudinal position thereon by securing bolts or screws 134 through any of the openings 97 in the form bracket 82 and a key 135 seating in the groove 93 and a similar groove 135 in the base 133. Extending upwardly and laterally from the base 133, and connected by an intermediate web 137, are two legs 138 laterally spaced and provided with bosses 139 on their inner surfaces between which may be mounted an operating lever, as indicated at 140 in FIGS. 11, 17 and 18, mounted on a pivot pin 141. The legs 138 and bosses 139 are provided with two laterally spaced openings 142 and 143, so that the lever may be mounted in different locations with different fulcrums or leverages, and also imparting different strokes or lengths of movement to an element operated by the lever. This lever, as shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, is provided with a detachable end member 144 secured in adjustable positions by the bolts or screws 145, and connected to a vertically movable slide 146 by a projecting end portion 147 located in a notch 148. The member 146 may be a vertical form slide mounted in bearing 

2. A MULTIPLE SLIDE METAL WIRE OR RIBBON FORMING MACHINE COMPRISING: A SUPPORTING BASE; A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR FRAME; MEANS PIVOTALLY SECURING SAID FRAME ON SAID BASE FOR MOVEMENT OF SAID FRAME ON AN AXIS PASSING NEAR ONE SIDE EDGE THEREOF BETWEEN HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL POSITIONS; SAID FRAME WHEN IN THE HORIZONTAL POSITION HAVING A TOP SIDE AND AN UNDERSIDE; MEANS PROVIDING A FORMING STATION ON SAID FRAME HAVING AN OPENING EXTENDING THROUGH SAID FRAME AND ACCESSIBLE FROM BOTH THE TOP SIDE AND UNDERSIDE; A PLURALITY OF TOOL SLIDES ADAPTED TO CARRY FORMING TOOLS; MEANS MOUNTING SAID SLIDES ON THE TOP SIDE OF SAID FRAME FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND FROM SAID STATION FOR OPERATION ON A WORK PIECE AT SAID STATION; A PLURALITY OF SHAFTS ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AT THE SIDE EDGES THEREOF AND OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO JOINTLY ROTATE, NONE OF SAID SHAFTS BEING COAXIAL WITH SAID AXIS; DRIVE MEANS FROM SAID SHAFTS TO SAID TOOL SLIDES FOR MOVING SAID SLIDES IN A CONTROLLED MANNER; MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY TILTING SAID FRAME IN STEPLESS FASHION ABOUT SAID AXIS BETWEEN THE HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL POSITIONS AND RETAINING IT IN EITHER POSITION OR IN ANY INTERMEDIATE ANGULAR POSITION; MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID SHAFTS COMPRISING A DRIVING MOTOR SUPPORTED ON SAID BASE, A DRIVEN MEMBER SUPPORTED ON SAID FRAME AND ARRANGED TO DRIVE ONE OF SAID SHAFTS, A DRIVING CONNECTION BETWEEN SAID MOTOR AND DRIVEN MEMBER, AND MEANS MOUNTING SAID MOTOR ON SAID BASE SO AS TO AUTOMATICALLY MAINTAIN THE PROPER DRIVING RELATIONSHIP OF SAID MOTOR, SAID DRIVEN MEMBER AND SAID DRIVING CONNECTION REGARDLESS OF THE ANGULAR POSITION OF SAID FRAME RELATIVE TO SAID BASE; A FORM HOLDER DETACHABLY SECURED TO THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID FRAME IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID OPENING; TOOL MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID HOLDER; AND AN OPERATIVE DRIVING MEANS EXTENDING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID FRAME AND CONNECTING SAID TOOL MEANS AND ONE OF SAID SHAFTS. 